Four Seasons public Wi-Fi in Palm Beach put to the test by WPTV after Skycure’s https://maps.skycure.com lists it as vulnerable.

Copyright – WPTV

Transcript:
PALM BEACH, Fla. – Skycure is a website that shows a map of vulnerable Wi-Fi. The Four Seasons in Palm Beach is listed as vulnerable. So, we put it to the test.

Even on vacation tourists grab cell phones.

Just feet from the Four Seasons Resort posh hotel pool, we were able to watch as guests used the hotel’s WiFi.

“I can see what they are trying to do and where they are trying to go,” explained tech expert David Parizek of Infostream .

We simply sat in a restaurant at the Four Seasons with Parizek, hidden cameras, and free tech tools to test the Wi-Fi used by guests.

“The protection is not very strong,” Parizek explained. “Everything you do on your phone gets sent to the Wi-Fi access point and gets transmitted wirelessly because it’s wireless.”

Within minutes, and without even placing a lunch order we had access to the hotel’s password protected Wi-Fi.

“They don’t know who we are. They don’t know where we came from. They watched us walk in,” explained Parizek. “As you saw passwords are very easy to crack. This one you just had to ask for it.”

It allowed our tech expert inside the system.

“I found at least five different devices that I don’t own that are working on the network at this time,” explained Parizek. “A lot of hotels will let you on their network but once there you can’t see anything, and that’s the difference in security.”

At the Four Seasons, Parizek said the hotel didn’t take enough steps to protect guests.

“I am seeing Samsung devices and Apple devices,” said Parizek.

We saw where those devices went too.

“Someone is going to Dropbox now which is an online file sharing system,” Parizek said. “This is not anything I am doing to get into their devices. This is just what I am seeing. What they are transmitting to the Internet.”

We stopped long before we saw any personal information, but a hacker likely wouldn’t stop.

“When you are on public Wi-Fi be careful about what sites you go to,” Parizek said.

You never know which public Wi-Fi is safe, and which one has security loopholes.

The Four Seasons said in a statement, ” As follow-up to our conversation, the complimentary Wi-Fi service we offer our guests and patrons has the same configuration as many other public Wi-Fi networks people commonly enjoy in coffee shops, airports and other public locations.”

“It should not be allowed. It’s a very simple checkbox for most capable WiFi spots for most connections to prevent this from happening,” explained Parizek.

So how can you protect yourself?

You can use antivirus software, and be selective when using public WiFi. Avoid sites like your bank account when you are on a public access point.